It is known in the electrical connector arts to use rigid and flexible material in the same connector. Such uses however, are generally in the form of washers, O-rings or by physical mating through glues, force fits or threading of flexible materials to rigid material. Such combinations are generally used to provide environmental sealing, or strain relief or to allow for replacement or insertion of electrical terminal members. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,090,759 and 3,838,382, for example, disclose such uses.
U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 06/862,902 filed May 13, 1986, a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 453,327 filed Dec. 27, 1982 and application Ser. No. 06/882,751 filed July 7, 1986 disclose electrical connectors in which the body members include rigid and flexible portions that are integrally molded so as to become a unitary piece. Since these portions must be integrally joined, the materials selected for the two portions must be such that they are compatible and establish a bond between them. The choices for the materials, therefore, cannot always be selected in accordance with properties desired for the connector, because the materials having the specifically desired properties may not, in fact, be compatible with each other. It is desirable, therefore, to have a connector which can be molded in a dual injection molding system whereby the materials used do not require bonding therebetween.
The one piece housing depicted in the aforementioned patent applications is formed by a dual molding process in which one material is first injected into a cavity of a mold followed by the movement of core pins or sleeves to define one or more joining cavities into which the second material can be injected. The disclosures of the above mentioned pending patent applications are incorporated herein by reference.